Everton legend Leon Osman has thanked the “terrific” Gylfi Sigurdsson for getting him off his seat again when watching the Toffees.
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What’s he said?
The 37-year-old has been speaking to Everton’s official website about who he believes has been instrumental in getting his former side firing since Marco Silva took charge in the summer.
“You get excited when you are watching us at the moment,” Osman told Evertonfc.com. “We are creating opportunities to score and I am getting out of my seat when I am watching us. I am enjoying it.
“Gylfi is a terrific player. I am delighted he is playing so well and is full of confidence. When you are the type of player he is, you need players around you to bring out the best in you.
“Richarlison and Theo Walcott give him options to play balls over the top for pacy players. And he has Bernard and Andre Gomes, especially, who he can play football with, give it and get the ball back and find new spaces.
“If you supply the ball early to a player like Gylfi Sigurdsson and he has runners off him, like Richarlison and Walcott, then you will see the best of him.”
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What does he mean?
Osman – the joint-10th highest Toffees appearance maker after playing 433 times in 13 years – praised the importance of Sigurdsson to Silva’s side, but also noted that the 29-year-old’s excellent form is thanks to the input Richarlison and Walcott are able to provide from the wings.
The resounding difference the Brazilian has made since his switch from Watford in the summer has lifted the former-Swansea creator to another level – helping Everton to five wins and four draws.
The 64-cap Icelandic international has been in superb form this season, grabbing five goals and two assists in 12 Premier League outings. Sigurdsson has focused on creating the play rather than driving through the opposition himself though, highlighted by an attempted dribble only every 59.1 minutes.
Richarlison is a game changer
Over the international break, Richarlison was called upon to replace Neymar when the Paris Saint-Germain star was forced off injured.
Osman noted how the Toffees summer signing changed the game for his country, adding: “He had an impact on the game and gives them something they don’t have without him. He is a direct runner and makes great runs in behind.”
Those two final points are crucial to why Sigurdsson is excelling. Richarlison offers him a player to target as he knows he can pick his head up and see someone wanting to get in behind – he no longer has to carry the burden alone.
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